Page 3 of Skye's Fall
“It’s this or the creamery.” And I guess I’m working here with that statement. Not that the creamery is a bad place to work, just boring sometimes.
“Guess the creamery,” I say pointedly. I won’t go work there, but I want to see what he says.
“Come on. This will be fun,” he whines. I start to chuckle a little, but when he looks at me, I pull it together.
“Beau, I don’t know if I feel comfortable with this,” I say, which is the whole truth.
“Just try it out. If you don’t like it, we’ll regroup and think of something else.”
“I still don’t understand why you want to cater to tourists when locals built this bar in the first place,” I say and he winces.
“I just want to bring in more people” is all he says. What is going on with him?
“Excuse me,” says a man’s voice behind us.
“We’re closed for renovations,” Beau says, trying to wave the man off.
“I’m looking for the Styles ranch,” the man says. He is done up in a three-piece suit and bowtie, so he looks very much out of place.
“Yeah, it’s just down the road and around the bend. If you pass the cow statue, you’ve gone too far,” Beau explains.
“Cow statue? Alright, thanks.” And the man leaves.
“Wonder what he wants with Linc,” Beau ponders. He must be a horrible friend because Linc isn’t even in town. How do I know? I stalk him on social media. Or pine for him from afar. I also casually bring him up with Ever, not letting on what I’m really doing. I’m pathetic. And my life just got worse all because of a favorite childhood toy that I glare at as I head out the door and make my way home to help Mom cook dinner. Stupid hula hoops.
Chapter Two
Lincoln
“Almost home,” Memphis says.
I just nod and stare out the window. I can’t wait to get back to my own bed. Memphis asked me to go to a horse auction with him in Texas because he didn’t know anything about horses. I said yes because Ever asked me to.
The trip wasn’t all bad. Memphis cares about Ever and wants the best for her. I can get behind that. I just have a bad feeling. I can’t put my finger on it, but I tried to call my mom when we started the trek home and she didn’t answer. I tried my dad and he didn’t answer, not that I thought he would. He could have been passed out somewhere, but I needed to hear from someone. I didn’t and that gut feeling kept getting worse. I could have called Ever or Austin to go check on everything, but I didn’t. Now my stomach is in knots. Memphis picked up on my anxiety several phone calls ago, or more like the cussing and punching the dashboard, and he stepped on the gas. We barely stopped unless it was for gas.
I stare out the window, thinking my dad finally kicked the bucket from drinking. No loss there. He was a horrible father.
And then I think that maybe he hurt my mom and that’s why she wasn’t picking up. He could be a mean drunk sometimes. And sometimes he was just a drunk. Okay, I take it back, I would miss my father. I just know something is wrong.
We round the corner and a car speeds past us. Hey, slow down, asshole. Weird that he was leaving my property. Was he a cop?
“Dick,” I mutter as I watch the car fade away. People really need to slow down on dirt roads.
“Umm, Linc,” Memphis brings the car to an abrupt halt and interrupts my thoughts.
I turn to see what he has to say and he’s pointing behind me.
I turn to see what he is pointing at. The gate to my ranch is bolted shut and padlocked. That motherfucker.
“What the hell?” I try my mom again and still no answer. I even try my dad again, but nothing. It comes back as a wrong number. What the hell? Just a second ago both phones were working.
I can hear Memphis on the phone, but I don’t care who he is talking to. I need to get to my horses and my dog. What if my parents were murdered or are just lying there dead on the floor? All these morbid thoughts run through my head, all kinds of scenarios that could have happened, and I need to act.
I take off running and jump the fence, rushing toward the ranch. I can hear Memphis yelling, but I don’t care right now, I need to get to the house.
I rush to the barn and throw open the barn doors to find all my horses are gone. Every single stall is empty. Where is my dog? He’s usually in the barn as well. I turn and rush to the house, and step in to find the house is empty, all furniture is gone. What is going on? Every roomisempty.
I hear whimpering from my room and find my dog with very little food and water. I drop to my knees, checking him over. I’m about to lose my shit.
